Ten Aberdeenshire Students STEP In To Help North East Businesses

Ten Aberdeenshire students are working with firms across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire for eight weeks this summer as part of the Shell Technology Enterprise Programme (STEP). STEP is project managed by Enterprise North East and is supported financially by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils. Laura Coonan, from Ellon, has been placed with Skibo Technologies.

The initiative has proved popular in recent years amongst smaller firms with limited resources. STEP places undergraduates into small and medium enterprises and community organisations through out the UK to undertake specific business or technical projects driven by the needs of the host business. Enterprise has currently recruited 22 students from across Scotland to work in a variety of industries across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

Laura is an undergraduate at the University of Aberdeen where she is currently studying Management Studies. Laura is undertaking a marketing project for Skibo Technologies, and has been assisting Russell Robertson, Joint Director of Skibo in raising customer awareness regarding the services they provide. Laura has also been working on the company website.

Laura says, "Having completed a marketing module at university it has been very interesting to get the chance to actually carry out marketing activities and have an input into raising customer awareness regarding Skibo Technologies. I have also worked on the company website, making sure that the information on the website is written in such a way that it is easily understandable. I find that I am putting different skills into practice each day and I am learning a great deal."

Laura continues, "The STEP programme is a very positive experience and I am sure that it will stand me in good stead when I leave university and look for a job."

Katy Sutherland, programme manager of STEP in Grampian says, "The STEP programme is a fantastic way for undergraduates to gain valuable experience within a variety of industries. Students who have gone through the programme in the past have gained all kinds of experience from database development and marketing to environmental recycling projects. The programme is really a win-win situation for all parties involved, by matching highly skilled undergraduates with small businesses for challenging projects, the students get the chance to experience the real world of work and develop their expertise. The businesses benefit greatly from their innovative ideas and fresh thinking."

The STEP initiative has been running for the past nineteen years, with over fourteen thousand project being delivered throughout the UK.

Last year’s winner for the Grampian area was Fiona MacKenzie. Fiona won the UK’s Most Enterprising Student Award at the STEP Awards 2004 for her work last summer at the Maritime Rescue Institute in Stonehaven. Fiona was assigned to develop and implement a quality assurance system which had the additional benefit of aiding the Institute in accessing funding opportunities. Fiona’s work also involved organising a fundraising concert and securing a famous Scottish children’s author to write a book and design a character for the Institute.

Fiona’s win was not the first time that a student from the Grampian area has picked up the coveted STEP Award, Garling Ng also won in 2003 for her work at oil and gas pipeline engineering company Pact.

Katy continues, "The STEP programme has been well received throughout the Grampian area. We have had two students from the area pick up the Most Enterprising Student Award in 2003 and 2004, this demonstrates the quality of undergraduates involved and the great support that we receive from SMEs throughout the area."

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